Hey Mickey, you’re still so fine… at 90

GENERATIONS have adored Mickey Mouse for nearly 90 years but the beloved Disney character’s creation was considered somewhat a twist of fate.

The anthropomorphic mouse was only designed as a replacement for a prior Disney character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back in 1938.

Over the course of close to a century, we have also come to know Mickey as a flawed but adventurous champion, but he was originally characterised as a mischievous anti-hero.

But, through re-branding, the cartoon character, who has dominated pop culture with his significant other, Minnie Mouse, their dog Pluto and their friends Donald and Daisy Duck, has earned the admiration of youngsters and even adults long before the creation of many of his peers.

Next month, the world’s favourite mouse will celebrate his 90th anniversary and South Africa has already joined in on the festivities with scores of celebrations being planned around the country.

Christine Service, country manager and senior vice- president at The Walt Disney Company Africa, says part of the Mickey Mouse commemorations in the country are centred on giving the acclaimed cartoon character a proudly South African makeover.

“The celebrations around Mickey’s 90th anniversary have kicked off with an exclusive local design project where 10 highly talented South African artists have applied their own inspiration and artistic interpretation on 6-foot Mickey Mouse statues.”

The local artists who were part of the three-city ‘Mickey the True Original South African Exhibition’ include Cassisus Khumalo, Colbert Mashile and Nika Mtwana.

Scores of youngsters and their parents who flocked to the exhibition at Sandton City since the end of last month were in awe of the South African inspired Mickey Mouse statues.

Four-year-old Daniela Balthazar, who travelled from Angola to visit the Joburg leg of the exhibition, posed for pictures with the beloved Disney statues.

Her mother, Maria, reckoned that her daughter was one of comical mouse’s biggest fans and told how she was obsessed with Mickey Mouse regalia.

“Everything for her is about Mickey Mouse. She has so many Mickey and Minnie Mouse clothes and so many other Mickey accessories.

“The whole family enjoys Mickey Mouse movies, he is our favourite cartoon character,” said the mother.

Service explained it was no secret why Mickey Mouse’s fan base is spread throughout the globe. “Mickey Mouse is fun, active, optimistic and a natural leader. He sparks